Lubricating system for braiding machines

ABSTRACT

This system is applied to braiding machines of the type which wind a plurality of threads or ribbons about a wire for insulating or protective purposes and these machines have a large number of moving parts which have heretofore required each of these parts to be lubricated by hand while the machine was standing idle. This disclosure is for a system by means of which the moving parts can be lubricated at one time and thereby reduce the time during which the machine is standing idle.

O l United States Patent 51 3,64%,1176

Gaul 1 Feb. 8, 1972 [54] LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR 2,237,858 4 1941 Wright ..l84/6 x BRAIDING MACHINES 2,725,734 12/1955 Oberly ..184/7 C 2,834,376 5/1958 Hughes ...l84/8l X 1 memo" Gaul, Tonawanda, 2,888,098 s/19s9 Florence ..l84/7 c [73] Assigneez Paragon w & Cable Corporation, 3,043,343 7/1962 Pellegnm 61 al. "184/102 X fal N.Y. 0 Primary Examiner-.Manuel A. Antonakas 1 Flied! 1970 Attorney-Sammer, Weber& Gastel [211 App]. No.: 10,889 [57] ABSTRACT This system is applied to braiding machines of the type which Ell. "87/33, 184/6 windra plurality of threads or ribbons about a wire for insulab [58] Fieid R 1 2 i or protective purposes and these machines have a large l 87/333 I number of moving parts which have heretofore required each I ofthese parts to be lubricated by hand while the machine was standing idle. This disclosure is for a system by means of which [56] Reierem Cited the moving parts can be lubricated at one time and thereby UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 reduce the time during which the machine is standing idle.

1,811,343 6/1931 Bancroft et al .Q... .....184/7C r 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEB FEB 8am SHEET 2 BF 2 gr ropNEYs/ LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR BRAIDING MACHINES One of the objects of this invention is to provide a system by means of which a single oil duct is arranged in a part of the machine and which is provided with outlets for simultaneously supplying lubricant to various parts of the machine.

. Another object is to provide a system which may receive lubricant under pressure for simultaneously dispensing the same to a plurality of parts requiring the same.

The invention is herein described as applied to a machine having 16 carriers for threads or tapes, but it will be understood that my improved lubrication system may be applied to machines having any desired number of carriers.

.ln the accompanying drawings: r

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of my improved lubricating system showing the same applied to various parts of the machine requiring the lubricant.

- FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same on line 2--2, FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation thereof on line 3-3, FIG. 1. i

The machine to which this invention relates has been in use for many years for applying to a wire a covering 9 of threads, tapes or wire, as shown in FIG. 2, which covering may serve as insulation or protection to the wire. This machine includes a usual stationary frame having a main base part 20, an inner tubular portion 22 and an outer tubular portion 24.

At the right side of FIG. 2 the portion 24 has an opening 26 through which a drive shaft 28 extends for rotation in a bearing bracket 30. The inner end of the driving shaft 28 carries a miter gear 32 which engages with and rotates a driver plate 34 and a track plate 36.

As seen in FIG. 2, a ball race 38 is provided in the base part 24 to suitably support the track plate 36 for rotation. Another ball race 40 in the track plate 36 just above the first ball race 38 suitably supports the driver plate 34 for rotation. The driver plate 34 through a tubular extension 42 carries a miter ring gear 44 at its extreme lower end. The track plate 36 just inside of the two ball races 38, 40 carries an upper miter ring gear 46.

It will be seen that as the shaft 28 is driven its miter gear 32 will drive the lower ring gear 44 in one direction while driving the upper ring gear 46 in an opposite direction.

The track plate 36 is essentially continuous at its upper, flared periphery except for pockets 48, as shown in FIG. 1. The periphery of the track plate 36 has eight solid portions 50 and eight pocket portions 48. As is usual in these machines, each upper carrier 54 conveys and holds a spool 56 of braiding material 58. Eight lower carriers 60 are mounted on the peripheral edge of the track plate 36 at the solid positions 50 thereof. These lower carriers hold spools 62 of thread or braiding material 64. A track 52 in the track plate 36 provides a guided pathway for eight upper carriers 54. The upper carriers 54 move in spaced relationship to each other on the track 52 of the track plate 36 in an opposite direction to the direction of the trackplate 36 itself.

This is accomplished by 16 carrier driver bars 66, providing two driver bars 66 for each single upper carrier 54. These driver bars 66 for each single upper carrier 54. These driver bars 66 each have a shoe or follower 68 which runs in a cam track or ring 70 mounted on the track plate 36. These bars 66 are slidably mounted in guiding apertures 72 in the driver plate 34. The upper carriers 54 have recesses 74 for reception of the upper ends of the bars 66 whenever the cam ring 70 causes this to occur for driving engagement.

The cam ring 70 is formed so that whenever one bar 66 is withdrawn from its recess 74 of a carrier 54, the other bar 66 will be in the other recess of the carrier 54, thus always having driving contact between a carrier 54 and the and the driver plate 34 by at least one bar 66.

Since the track plate 36 is rotating let us say, for example, in a clockwise direction and it carries the lower carriers 60, the spools 62 and the threads 64, they too will be rotating in a clockwise direction.

Also, since the upper carriers 44 can slide in the track 52 and are driven by at least one of their bars 66, which are slidably mounted in the driver plate 34, these carriers 54, spools 56 and thread 58 will necessarily be rotating in a counterclockwise direction. Thus the threads 58 are braided in a counterclockwise direction while the threads 64 are braided in a clockwise direction about the wire or cable 10.

Thread deflectors (not shown) guide the threads 64 as they come oi? of the spools above and below the upper carriers 54 to cause a better braiding action. In accomplishing this the threads 64 at times drop into the pockets 48 while the upper carriers are moved past these pockets 48 by the bars 66. As each-bar 66 moves to pass a thread 64 down in a pocket 48, it is retracted by the cam 70 while its other bar 66 continues to drive the carrier on, and then it too will be retracted by the cam 70 as the first bar 66 is again returned to its driving condition.

At alternate times, depending on the braid pattern, the threads 64 pass above the uppercarriers 54 and the spools 66.

As shown in FIG. 1 the driver plate 34 is provided with a cover which is of a double cone shape. An inner cone portion 81 projects upwardly about the 1 wire or cable being braided while the outer cone portion 82 diverges up and outwardly. These two portions form between them an annular valley or depression and I have found that this valley may be used to contain a part of my lubricating system to be used when the machine is standing or idle. In the particular construction shown for this purpose, I have provided in the valley a means for supplying lubricant to a number of parts requiring the same. For example, lubricant supply means may include a main supply pipe or tube 86 which is of circular form and lies in the valley and is secured therein in any suitable manner, for example, by screws or bolts 89. This tube, or duct 86 has branch tubes 88 extending from the supply pipe 86 to parts to be lubricated, for example, to the upper ends of the guiding apertures 72. Since the lubricating means can only be used while the machine is stopped, its use is only temporary and consequently an oil feed tube 90 is provided with a fitting 92 at its top for application to an oil gun 94 or the like, as shown in FIG. 1.

It can be readily seen now that application of a charge of oil from the gun will in one operation lubricate all vital parts at the same time. Better lubricating is had because all spots are lubricated accurately without any miss, and much time is saved since the machine can only be lubricated while not running, and with my improved system the idle time is greatly reduced.

In FIG. is shown an additional lubricator for the track 52 and the upper carriers 54. This lubricator may be of any desired type, that shown including a container or reservoir for lubricant, with a discharge pipe or duct 104 suitably secured to a bracket 102 mounted on the carrier 54. The duct 104 connects with a discharge pipe 114, terminating at a wick 1 16 mounted on the track plate 36. This wick receives a measured quantity of lubricant when a plunger 112 in the reservoir 1 10 is actuated.

As each upper carrier 54 passes the wick 116, it is lubricated with a deposit of oil which is'thencarried and distributed onto and into the track 52, thus providing constant lubrication to the track 52 and the carriers 54.

With the above system in operation much time and money is saved, in that proper lubrication is provided while shutting down time is greatly reduced and breakdown is prevented by ensuring proper lubrication of all movable parts of the machine.

It willbe understood that various changes in the details, materials and arrangements of parts'which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

be braided, a pair of members rotatable in opposite directions about said central guide severally carrying spools and bearing surfaces supporting said members in rotatable relation to each other, the improvement which comprises a wick arranged to apply lubricant to both of said surfaces, and a lubricant supplying device mounted on one of said members and having a discharge duct leading from said device to said wick and a plunger for delivering a quantity of lubricant to said duct and manipulatable when the machine is standing idle.

* i II! *zg ggg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,640,176 Dated February 8, 1972 Inventofls) Robert G. Gaul 1 It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 70, before "driver" delete and the-.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of August 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

- EDWARD M. FLETCHER! JR. ROBERT- GOTTSCHALK Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. In a braiding machine having a central guide for a wire to be braided, a pair of members rotatable in opposite directions about said central guide and upwardly and downwardly movable bars on which spools are mounted, the improvement which comprises lubricant dispensing means mounted on one of said members including a main supply tubular ring having branch tubes extending to said bars to deliver lubricant thereto, and means for supplying lubricant to said lubricant dispensing means when said machine is standing idle.
 2. In a braiding machine having a central guide for a wire to be braided, a pair of members rotatable in opposite directions about said central guide severally carrying spools and bearing surfaces supporting said members in rotatable relation to each other, the improvement which comprises a wick arranged to apply lubricant to both of said surfaces, and a lubricant supplying device mounted on one of said members and having a discharge duct leading from said device to said wick and a plunger for delivering a quantity of lubricant to said duct and manipulatable when the machine is standing idle. 